Centrifugal chopper.



Patented J une 27, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

Gill/p267;

Tm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, 0. c.

G. R. NAPIER.

CENTRIFUGAL CHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED ocr.25.1915.

Patented June 27, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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g vwemtoz v UNITED STATES enonen REED NAPIER, or Macon, GEORGIA.

CENTRIFUGAL CHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 27 1916 Application filedOcto'ber 25, 1915. Serial N 0. 57,725.

To all whom it may concern Be it known thatv I, GEORGE It. 'NAPIER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented certain "new and'useful Improvements in Centrifugal Choppers; and I do declare the .following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to that class of machines designed for chopping -meat, such as that used for sausage, and the object of the invention is to provide a machine of this class relying upon centrifugal force for feeding the meat to the cutting knives. In accomplishing this end, I provide certain novel features of construction and unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In describing the invention, 1' shall refer by reference numerals to the accompanying drawings which constitute ,a part of this ap-' plication and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away, showing one type of the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section as viewed on the plane designated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a different style of machine.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 1 designates an appropriate base with which spaced standards 2 and 3 are preferably formed integrally. The standard 2 carries a bearing 1 at its upper end in which a horizontal shaft 5 is rotatably mounted. Keyed to the inner end of the shaft 5 is the hub 6 of a circular wall 7 which constitutes one end of a rotary drum 8, the cylindrical wall 9 of such drum being shown as formed integrally with the wall 7. The other end wall 10 of the drum 8 is secured in position by screws or the like 11 and is provided with a circular inlet opening 12. For a reason to become obvious, the

' wall 9 is lined with a series of wooden blocks lent device 15, is an eccentric 16 formed on one end of the'shaft 17 which projects eccentrically through the opening 12 into the drum 8. Rotatable and slidable on the shaft 17 is ahub 18' carrying a plurality of axially alined cutting disks 19 which travel on the lining of the wall 9.

One end of the hub 18 is grooved circumferentially for the reception of a fork 20 on the inner end of a horizontal rod 21 which is s'lidable in an opening formed in the standard .3 above the bearing opening 14:. By the provisiollof the rod 21 andits fork 20, it is obvious that the hub 18 and its disks 19 may be so shifted on the shaft 17 as to cause saiddisks to contact with different parts of the lining blocks 13, thus preventing such lining blocks from becoming worn only on certain paths. As the disks '19 are decreased in size by continual use and grinding, the eccentric 16 may be adjusted to always cause such disks to contact with the blocks 13, as will be obvious from an inspection of the drawings.

In operating the machine, the meat or the like to be chopped is deposited into the drum 8 "through the opening 12 therein and such drum is rotated at a high speed either by the provision of abelt 22 shown in Fig. 1 or c the crank 23 depicted in Fig. 2. The result is that the meat is thrown outwardly against the "lining blocks 13 by centrifugal force and is fed beneath the cutting disks 19.

vFig. 3 discloses a drum'S similar in con- "struction to that above described but mounttight pulleys 27 and 28 respectively, or with other preferred means. In this type of the invention, cutting disks 19 similar to those designated at 19 are provided, with their axes disposed parallel to the axis 5, while at a point spaced from the disks 19 a rotary cutter 29 is employed having a plurality of cutting blades 30 for contact with the lining of the drum, said blades being positioned at an angle to the disks 19*,whereby to cut the material in the drum in intersecting planes.

The shafts 17 and 29 of the cutters 19 and 29 are preferably provided with eccentrics 16 at their upper ends similar to the eccentric 16 previously described. These eccentrics are mounted in bearings carried by the horizontal frame bar 31 above the drum 8 and having its ends secured to arms or the like 32 rising from a leg supported base plate 33 disposed beneath said drum. As clearly shown, the frame bar 31 and plate 33 serve as anchoring means for the opposite ends of the shaft 5 upon which the drum rotates.

The operation of the form ust described is identical with that previously defined, and further description is therefore deemed unnecessary. It will be obvious that both types of the machine will be eflicient and durable and will fulfil'long felt needs in the art to which they relate.

In the drawings certain specific details of construction have been shown for illustrativepurposes, and in the foregoing such details have been described, but it is obvious that numerous changes may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed, without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim 1. A centrifugal chopper comprising a rotary drum having adjacent the inner side of its curved wall a number of axially alined cutting disks traveling on said wall and hav ing their axes disposed parallel to the axis of the drum, and a rotary cutter spaced from the disks and having a plurality of cutting blades disposed at an angle in respect thereto and positioned for contact with the aforesaid curved wall of the drum.

2. A centrifugal chopper comprising a r0- tary drum having in one end a circular inlet opening, a shaft projecting eccentrically into said opening and disposed in parallel relation with the axis of the drum, an elongated hub rotatably mounted on said shaft and carrying a plurality of axially alined cutting disks tr veling on the inner curved side of the drum, and means for adjusting the hub longitudinally on the shaft to prevent excessive mutilation of the drum by constant engagement of the disks with the same portions thereof.

3. A centrifugal chopper comprising a rotary drum having in one end a central inlet opening, a bearing disposed contiguous to said end and having its axis disposed in parallel relation to the-axis of the drum, a shaft positioned eccentrically in said drum and having on its outer end an eccentric rotatably mounted in the bearing, whereby rotation of said eccentric will vary the distance between the shaft and the curved wall of the drum, means for locking the eccentric against rotation, and a plurality of axially alined cutting disks mounted on the shaft and traveling on said curved wall of the drum.

4. A'centrifugal chopper comprising a rotary drum having in one end a central inlet opening, a bearing disposed contiguous to said end and having its axis disposed in parallel relation to the axis of the drum, a shaft positioned eccentrically in said drum and having on its outer end an eccentric rotatably mounted in the bearing, whereby rotation of said eccentric will vary the distance between the shaft and the curved wall of the drum, means for locking the eccentric against rotation, a hub rotatably mounted on the aforesaid shaft and having a plurality of axially alined cutting disks traveling on the curved wall of the drum, and means for adj usting said hub longitudinally on the shaft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE REED NAPIER. Witnesses:

J. E. KING, L. W. MOMANUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtainerl for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

